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Wixom Man Charged In I-96 Shooting Spree

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HOWELL (WWJ/AP) – Prosecutors have now charged a 43-year-old man suspected in a shooting spree along a 100-mile stretch of roads with assault with a dangerous weapon and other gun charges.

Bond was set at $2 million cash/surety for Raulie Casteel at an arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Circuit Court in Howell.

Casteel was arrested Monday in Wixom. He’s suspected in 24 apparently random shootings, mostly involving moving cars in communities near the I-96 corridor. Only one person was injured.

Livingston County Sheriff Gene Wrigglesworth told WWJ Newsradio 950 it was information they received over the last couple weeks, one of some 3,000 tips, that led them to Casteel’s home. Wrigglesworth said the suspect was driving a vehicle that matched the description provided by one of the victims. They seized that, along with other evidence including at least one weapon.

Casteel faces arraignment later in other counties, including Oakland, where Sheriff Mike Bouchard said they’re still putting that case together.

“The great teamwork on that whole task force to track down the shooter was critical to coming to a successful conclusion,” Bouchard said. “We feel pretty good where we are. We gotta dot a few i’s and cross a few t’s, but we feel pretty good.”

The shootings occurred Oct. 16 through Oct. 18, then stopped until Oct. 27.

Casteel has described himself online as a geologist with experience in environmental cleanup. His Twitter feed is deeply critical of President Barack Obama.